As part of the preparation for the Synod on Synodality, Cardinal Michael Czerny, S.J. from Canada confessed our failings at the Penitential Celebration through the ‘sin against migrants’. (Each of the sins voiced at the service was penned by the Holy Father himself.)
As a migrant, I agree with much of what Pope Francis is saying. My family is blessed to have come from a peaceful country and now reside in a prosperous & peaceful country. My parents were also migrants.
I shudder at the thought of seeking sanctuary in another country, with perhaps what you can carry and the clothes on your back.
That said, I am conflicted because every country should be able to secure it’s borders and to protect it’s citizens. Even the Vatican has walls…
The Vatican City
Dignity
(Click on image to see the clip on X.)
The Holy Father makes the Christian point that we should treat every person with dignity and caring. He opposes the brutal treatment which some migrants are receiving.
Pope Francis noted the:“ “grave sin” of repelling migrants“when done with awareness and responsibility” putting them in jeopardy or leading to their death…”?
I was stunned when a Christian minister on X I had respected, supported the crushing of migrants in a dinghy by a Spanish police speed-boat… (Please see the short clip on X.)
Obviously, the specific circumstances and intent of the police cannot be ascertained from the short clip, but Robinson’s un-Christian response is ironic considering he was migrating to the US at the time!
Now the Holy Father seems to support unfettered migration. Curiously, as we become a “Synodal Church” he is not discussing the complications of overwhelming migration…especially when some newcomers are intent on the destruction of Christianity and western civilization.
Border Protection
Naturally, countries should provide humane support for refugees—true refugees. Also, there should be a fair legal system for ‘economic’ migration, which penalises queue-jumpers who lie about refugee status.
US Border
Using the US border as an example, undocumented crossings have increased exponentially. There are now up to 20 Million illegal immigrants in America.
Some suggest that countries like Venezuela have emptied their prisons and sent their convicted criminals to America! (A genius move for any country which hates America!) A quick look at the statistics provided by Patrick J. Lechleitner, Deputy Director at the US Immigration, Customs and Enforcement Agency, seems to confirm this suggestion.
Your letter requests the number of noncitizens on ICE’s docket convicted or charged with a crime. As of July 21, 2024, there were 662,566 noncitizens with criminal histories on ICE’s national docket, which includes those detained by ICE, and on the agency’s non-detained docket. Of those, 435,719 are convicted criminals, and 226,847 have pending criminal charges.
These include:
14,000+ convicted criminals for burglary;
57,000+ for dangerous drugs;
64,000+ for assault including sexual assault/rape and,
13,000+ for homicide.
[See Appendix I for Lechleitner’s table of the specific crimes & numbers.]
They apprehended people from 97 different countries…97 different countries!
https://judiciary.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/republicans-judiciary.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/2024-01-18-new-data-reveal-worsening-magnitude-of-the-biden-border-crisis-and-lack-of-interior-immigration-enforcement.pdf?trk=public_post_comment-text
Here is a 2023 table showing numbers entering America illegally from countries which hate the US. Logically, these must include some terrorists [Yemen, Iraq, Iran] and sleeper agents [China, Russia.]
This is suicidal.
Migrant Suffering
People migrate for several reasons.
Many young men are happy to sojourn in the United States when they are transported, paid, fed, housed and given a free mobile/cell-phone courtesy of the US government! Welcome to America!!
Many who cross the border illegally do so at great cost in money and suffering. The Mexican cartels profit enormously—to the tune of ~$24 Billion USD (using the conservative number of US$4,000 per head, though Chinese can pay up to US$75,000 a head.)
Some people are being trafficked, while others become indentured servants of the cartels as those who cannot pay, often become drug mules or decoys, etc. Over 100,000 Americans die each year from fentanyl overdose.
A “rape tree” on the Mexico:US border.
Estimates are that over 50% of women are sexually assaulted during their illegal crossing. Land owners are finding “Rape Trees” on the routes crossing their land, where the Coyotes hang their “trophies…” Who can victims call for justice??
Some women and children are trafficked for sex in the receiving country. Do not forget the sexual exploitation of boys also.
Such illegal migration does nothing for “the dignity of the individual.”
Responsibility to Citizens
The government of a country is also responsible to provide for the citizens of that country. This includes safety, but also food distribution, housing, education, health-care, utilities and social services.
For example, the US Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA] is now unable to provide adequate assistance to victims of hurricane Helene, because about a BILLION dollars was redirected to the care of migrants.
It is disquieting that citizens go homeless, while migrants are housed in 4 and 5 star hotels.
Clarity
Uncontrolled mass migration is a disaster.
We need clarity as to what is the correct balance between reasonable, safe migration and the security of the receiving country. Cultural & societal disaster is threatening to destroy Europe and North America, so the answer must come soon.
Internal breakdown in a country helps neither the citizen or migrant.
Sin against Migrants.
I ask forgiveness, feeling shame for when we took and when we now take part in the globalization of indifference, in the face of tragedies that transform for many migrants, the sea routes and borders between nations, from roots of hope to roots of death. The value of a person is always higher than that of the border. At this moment I hear the voice of God asking us all—Where is your brother? …where is your sister?
Forgive us Lord.”
Kevin Hay
(You can follow Kevin on X at @kevinhay77)
Appendix I
(Click on table/image to link to PDF of original Letter)
Please note: the table was pasted together, as it spans 3 pages in the original letter.